William Johnson (Bill)

• Archegos Capital Management and Archegos Fund in DOJ and SEC investigations of market manipulation.
• Multiple executives in DOJ and SEC investigations of block trading practices. The matter was terminated with no charges against any clients.
• Multiple executives in regulatory investigations involving use of personal devices for off-channel communications.
• Investment Adviser in multi-jurisdictional investigations of trading practices.
• Former public company executive in global antitrust investigation.
• Former public company executive in DOJ and SEC investigations of insider trading.
• Former public company executive in DOJ and SEC investigations of accounting fraud and disclosure.
• Consultant in DOJ investigation of global cryptocurrency operations.
• Global investment bank in SEC investigation of market manipulation. The matter was terminated with no charges against the client.
• Former options trader in DOJ investigation of market manipulation. The matter was terminated with no charges against the client.
• Global conglomerate entity in international investigation.
• Former public company CFO in DOJ and SEC investigations of COVID-related securities fraud.
• Equifax, Inc. in various government investigations arising out of the 2017 cybersecurity incident.
• Successfully defended Equifax in SEC investigation of disclosure issues, resulting in termination of investigation with no enforcement action.
• Negotiated settlement resolving investigation of New York Department of Financial Services.
• Former public company CFO in DOJ and SEC investigations of accounting and disclosure fraud.
• Former investment banker in DOJ and SEC investigations of insider trading.
• Broker-dealer employee in CFTC investigation of manipulative trading. The matter was terminated with no charges against the client.
• Multiple Big Four accounting firms in various DOJ, SEC, and/or PCAOB investigations of auditing practices.
• Forex Capital Markets LLC in CFTC investigation and litigation in SDNY alleging capitalization, reporting, and marketing violations. Negotiated settlement resolving these claims in February 2017.
• Credit Suisse AG in DOJ’s multiyear tax and securities investigation of the Swiss banking industry. Helped negotiate historic global settlement in 2014. Representing Credit Suisse during the multiyear monitorship that followed settlement with the New York DFS.
• Deutsche Bank in a multiyear SEC investigation involving credit derivatives trading, risk management, and valuation practices. Negotiated settlement resolving the matter on a no-admit/no-deny basis.
• Multiple traders in connection with DOJ, CFTC and Federal Reserve investigations of foreign exchange trading.
• A broker in connection with DOJ, CFTC and international investigations involving LIBOR rates.
• High-level executives and other employees of global investment banks in connection with DOJ and CFTC investigations of ISDAFIX benchmarks.
• Individual employees of a global investment bank in connection with DOJ and SEC, and NYAG investigations involving residential mortgage-backed securities.
• Big Four accounting firm in connection with investigations by DOJ and SEC concerning a pharmaceutical company’s financial reporting.
• Wells Fargo Bank in SDNY civil action alleging FIRREA violations in connection with the bank’s participation in FHA lending program. Negotiated settlement resolving claims in April 2016.
• A major bank in DOJ criminal investigation regarding anti-money- laundering and other issues related to allegations of fraud by a customer.
• A global investment bank in SEC and FINRA investigations involving a high-profile investment. The investigation was terminated favorably to the bank.
• A global investment bank in SEC and DOJ investigations involving a high-profile investment manager. The investigation was terminated favorably to the bank.
• Individual employees of an investment advisor in an SEC investigation relating to collateralized debt obligations. The investigation was terminated favorably as to all clients.
• Individuals in DOJ and SEC investigations into alleged insider trading. The investigation was terminated favorably as to all clients.

Bill Johnson represents entities and individuals in government investigations in white-collar criminal and regulatory matters, and resulting litigation.  Bill also represents clients in data privacy and security matters, including counseling clients on cybersecurity risk disclosures and disclosure controls.  Bill is a former federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where he served as Chief of its Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Bill is also a former Enforcement Division attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bill represents clients in investigations and litigation involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as well as other federal, state and local agencies. He also conducts internal investigations and advises clients on anti-corruption matters.

Previously, Bill was Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. In this role, he led a unit of prosecutors and law enforcement agents in investigations, trials, appeals and other litigation related to insider trading, fraudulent investment schemes, corporate financial fraud and options backdating. As Chief and Deputy Chief, Bill oversaw the investigation and prosecution of many notable cases, including Bernard Madoff, Galleon Group/Raj Rajaratnam, Marc Dreier, Refco and Adelphia. Before that, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Bill investigated and prosecuted some of the nation's highest-profile securities fraud cases, including former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers and CFO Scott Sullivan, Steven Madden and Michael Milken.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bill served as Senior Counsel in the SEC's Division of Enforcement, leading investigations and litigation, and in the Office of the General Counsel, Appellate Litigation Group.

Bill also served as an Independent Monitor for the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department, where Bill led a team of police practices experts evaluating the department's compliance with a federal consent decree mandating policy and procedure improvements regarding the use of excessive force.

Bill has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a 2017 U.S. Litigation Star and by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading individual in Litigation—White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. He has also been recognized by Legal 500 in Litigation—White-Collar Criminal Defense and in Financial Services Litigation.